Announcing the selected participants for the Canada Coaches program

Over the years, we’ve heard from LION members in Canada that they have unique challenges and need  Canada-specific coaching. Whether navigating regional funding opportunities, building stronger teams, or expanding their audiences, they’ve made it clear: they need experts who understand their local context. That’s why we’re excited to introduce the first cohort of 13 news leaders selected for the Canada Coaches program who will strengthen our Expert Network. 

With three dozen Canadian members already in the LION community, we’re eager to serve them better — and attract even more members — by offering hands-on support and tailored expertise.

Please join us in congratulating the following news leaders as they embark on this journey!

• Alvin Chow – VP of National Advertising Sales, Glacier Media; Publisher, Richmond News
• Anita Li – Publisher and CEO, The Green Line
• Arik Ligeti – Director of Audience, The Narwhal
• Brett Luft – Platform Team Lead, Village Media
• Brielle Morgan – Manager of the collaborative journalism project Spotlight: Child Welfare
• Dru Oja Jay – Executive Director, CUTV Montreal
• Eden Fineday – Publisher, IndigiNews; Founder and CEO, tâpwêwin media; Co-founder of the Indigenous Media Association of Canada
• Erin Valois – Vice President of Product and Strategy, Postmedia
• Flavian DeLima – Editor and Publisher, Spinning Forward
• Jeanette Ageson – Publisher, The Tyee
• Kathy English – Outgoing Board Chair (May 2025), Canadian Journalism Foundation; served as public editor of the Toronto Star from 2007-2020
• Marc Gendron – Digital transformation and editorial strategy expert
• Matthew DiMera – Founder, The Resolve

Program Leader 

Participants in the program will receive guidance from Katie Mercer, Director of Publisher Insights and Operations at Blue Engine Collaborative, where she helps independent media turn audience, revenue, and operational insights into action. Previously, Katie was Vice President of Content at Glacier Media and Director of Social Media for Glacier Media Digital, its external marketing agency. She also held several roles at The Province. When not reading tech stack documentation, she’s exploring Metro Vancouver with her family.